The Providence of Lost Donkeys: Text: 1 Samuel 9:1-10
Introduction: The Kingdom and the Commonplace
The story of God's kingdom is not a story that unfolds in some ethereal, spiritual realm, detached from the dirt and sweat of our ordinary lives. God is the Lord of history, which means He is the Lord of your history, right down to the lost car keys and the leaky faucet. We tend to think that great historical movements, the rise and fall of kings and empires, must have grand and dramatic beginnings. We expect thunderclaps and celestial signs. But God, in His infinite and often humorous wisdom, delights in using the mundane to accomplish the magnificent. He loves to hide His grand purposes behind the curtain of the commonplace. He is the God who draws straight with crooked lines.
This is precisely what we find as we come to the anointing of Israel's first king. The people had sinned by demanding a king like the other nations. They wanted a king they could see, a king who looked the part, a tall and handsome warrior who would give them a bit of geopolitical swagger. In a display of what we might call severe mercy, God is going to give them exactly what they asked for. But the way He brings this king to the throne is a master class in divine providence. The first king of Israel is not discovered leading an army or delivering a grand oration. He is discovered because his father lost some donkeys.
This is a profound lesson for us. We are often looking for God's will in the spectacular, in the burning bush or the voice from heaven. And sometimes God does work that way. But more often than not, His will is found in the faithful discharge of our ordinary duties. It is found in looking for the donkeys. It is in doing the next, obvious thing that is right in front of you. God is weaving the grand tapestry of redemption, and He is using the threads of our everyday obedience, our small errands, and even our frustrations, to do it. The story of Saul's anointing begins with a work-a-day problem, a chore assigned by a father to his son. And in this simple, earthy story, we see the absolute sovereignty of God orchestrating every detail to bring about His purposes for His people.
The Text
Now there was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valor. Now he had a son whose name was Saul, a choice and handsome man, and there was not a more handsome person than he among the sons of Israel; from his shoulders and up he was taller than any of the people. Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. So Kish said to his son Saul, “Take now with you one of the young men, and arise, go search for the donkeys.” Thus he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they did not find them. Then they passed through the land of Shaalim, but they were not there. Then he passed through theland of the Benjamites, but they did not find them. They came to the land of Zuph. And Saul said to his young man who was with him, “Come, and let us return, lest my father cease to be concerned about the donkeys and become anxious for us.” But he said to him, “Behold now, there is a man of God in this city, and the man is held in honor; all that he says surely comes true. Now let us go there, perhaps he can tell us about our journey on which we have gone.” Then Saul said to his young man, “But behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread is gone from our sack, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?” And the young man answered Saul again and said, “Behold, I have in my hand a fourth of a shekel of silver; I will give it to the man of God, and he will tell us our way.” (Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he used to say, “Come, and let us go to the seer”; for he who is called a prophet now was formerly called a seer.) Then Saul said to his young man, “Your word is good; come, let us go.” So they went to the city where the man of God was.
(1 Samuel 9:1-10 LSB)
The Man Who Looked the Part (v. 1-2)
The narrative opens by introducing us to the man who will be king, and his pedigree.
"Now there was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish the son of Abiel... a mighty man of valor. Now he had a son whose name was Saul, a choice and handsome man, and there was not a more handsome person than he among the sons of Israel; from his shoulders and up he was taller than any of the people." (1 Samuel 9:1-2)
We are told that Saul's father, Kish, was a "mighty man of valor." This is a man of substance and standing. But the focus quickly shifts to his son, Saul. And what is the first thing we are told about him? He is a physical specimen. He is choice, handsome, and tall, head and shoulders above everyone else. In other words, he looks exactly like what the people were looking for. They wanted a king like the other nations, and the kings of the other nations were typically imposing physical figures, men who looked like they could lead an army.
God is giving them the king they wanted, the king their fleshly desires clamored for. This is a crucial point. God is teaching Israel, and us, a lesson about appearances. Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart (1 Sam. 16:7). God is setting up a contrast that will run through the rest of Samuel and Kings. He gives them Saul, the man who looks like a king, to show them that not everyone who looks like a king is a king. Later, He will give them David, a shepherd boy who is ruddy and handsome, yes, but who is chosen because he is a man after God's own heart. Saul is the people's choice, a reflection of their worldly values. David will be God's choice, a reflection of His heavenly values.
Saul is from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest and, at one point, nearly exterminated tribe (Judges 20-21). There is a certain humility in his origins, which makes his later pride all the more tragic. He begins with every external advantage, a good family, striking looks, and towering height. God bestowed true goodness and favor upon Saul at the beginning. The tragedy is not that he was a bad seed from the start, but that he was given so much and squandered it all through disobedience.
The Divine Detour (v. 3-5)
Now the stage is set, and the plot is put in motion by a very mundane agricultural problem.
"Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. So Kish said to his son Saul, 'Take now with you one of the young men, and arise, go search for the donkeys.'... And Saul said to his young man who was with him, 'Come, and let us return, lest my father cease to be concerned about the donkeys and become anxious for us.'" (1 Samuel 9:3, 5 LSB)
Here we see the engine of divine providence humming along under the hood of ordinary life. A few donkeys wander off. This is not a national crisis. It is a family chore. Kish tells his son to go and find them. And Saul obeys. He is, at this point, a dutiful son. He takes a servant and sets off on a wide, fruitless search. They go through Ephraim, Shalishah, Shaalim, and Benjamin, and find nothing. The search is a failure. From a human perspective, this is a frustrating waste of time.
But from God's perspective, every step is perfectly choreographed. God is not just leading Saul; He is leading him on a very specific route, ensuring that he does not find the donkeys, so that he will end up in the right place at the right time. This is the sovereignty of God in action. God works all things according to the counsel of His will (Eph. 1:11), and that includes the wanderings of donkeys and the footsteps of a future king.
After a long search, Saul displays a commendable concern for his father. He suggests they go back, not because he is lazy, but because he is worried that his father's anxiety will shift from the lost property to his lost son. This is a point in his favor. It shows consideration and filial piety. He is not yet the paranoid, self-absorbed monarch he will become. He is just a young man on an errand for his father, trying to do the right thing.
The Servant's Wise Counsel (v. 6-10)
Just as Saul is about to give up and turn back, a seemingly insignificant character, an unnamed servant, makes a pivotal suggestion.
"But he said to him, 'Behold now, there is a man of God in this city, and the man is held in honor; all that he says surely comes true. Now let us go there, perhaps he can tell us about our journey...'" (1 Samuel 9:6 LSB)
The servant knows something Saul does not, or at least remembers something Saul had forgotten. There is a man of God, a seer, in the city. This is Samuel. The servant's faith is simple and practical. This man is honored, his words come true, so maybe he can help us with our problem. Notice the scope of his concern: "our journey." He is not asking for a grand life plan, just directions for the immediate task.
Saul's objection is also practical. They have run out of provisions and have nothing to offer the man of God as a gift, which was the custom. "For the bread is gone from our sack, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?" Again, the servant has the answer. He has a quarter of a shekel of silver. It is not much, but it is something. It is enough. This small detail is not accidental. The servant is not only wiser than Saul in this moment, but he is also the one who provides the means to go forward. God uses the small faith and the small resources of an unnamed servant to guide the future king to his destiny.
The text includes a helpful editorial note for later readers: "Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he used to say, 'Come, and let us go to the seer'; for he who is called a prophet now was formerly called a seer." A seer was one who "saw" things, who had spiritual insight into matters hidden from others. The term prophet, which became more common, emphasized the role of speaking God's word. Samuel fulfilled both roles. He could see the location of lost donkeys, and he could speak the word of the Lord concerning the destiny of a nation.
Saul agrees to the servant's plan. "Your word is good; come, let us go." And with that simple decision, based on the advice of a servant and funded by a quarter-shekel, Saul walks toward his anointing. He thinks he is going to find his donkeys. God knows he is going to find a kingdom.
Conclusion: Trusting the Donkey-Herding God
This little story is a microcosm of how God governs the world. He is not a distant, deistic clockmaker who wound things up and let them run. He is intimately and meticulously involved in every detail. He is the God who numbers the hairs on your head and directs the paths of lost livestock to accomplish His eternal purposes.
There are two great lessons for us here. The first is about providence. You may feel like you are on a wild goose chase, or in this case, a wild donkey chase. You may feel that your efforts are fruitless, that you are wandering and getting nowhere. But if you are seeking to be faithful in the small things, in the tasks God has put before you, then you are never just wandering. You are on a path that God has laid out for you. He knows where the donkeys are. More importantly, He knows where you are, and He knows where He is taking you. Your job is not to see the whole map; your job is to take the next faithful step.
The second lesson is about kingship. Israel wanted a king based on outward appearance, and God gave them one. Saul looked the part, but he did not have the heart. This entire episode is a setup for the real king, the Lord Jesus. Jesus did not look the part. He came from Nazareth. He had no form or majesty that we should desire Him. He was a servant. He was not head and shoulders above everyone else in stature, but He was infinitely above everyone in character. He is the King who did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.
Saul went looking for his father's donkeys and was given a kingdom he would ultimately lose through disobedience. Jesus Christ, the truly obedient Son, left His Father's throne to seek and to save that which was lost, you and me, His wandering, stubborn sheep. And in His obedience, He was given a kingdom that will never end. Therefore, do not despise the day of small things. Do not fret about your fruitless journeys. Do your duty, look for the donkeys, and trust the God who is orchestrating all things, from the wanderings of animals to the anointing of kings, for His glory and for the good of His people.